SPORTS DIGEST

Wednesday

Sep 11, 2013 at 12:10 AMSep 11, 2013 at 3:10 AM

Report: Ok St players took thousands from boosters

Report: Ok St players took thousands from boosters

STILLWATER, Okla. — Boosters and assistant coaches at Oklahoma State handed out tens of thousands of dollars to players for at least a decade as the football program grew into a national power under coaches Les Miles and then Mike Gundy, according to a Sports Illustrated article released Tuesday.

The article, which quoted several former players by name, said some players received $2,000 to $10,000 annually, with a few stars receiving $25,000 or more. Eight players told SI they received cash, while 29 others were named by teammates as taking money. The transgressions cited stretched from 2001 until at least 2011, the magazine said.

Sports Illustrated said its five-part series included interviews with more than 60 former players who played for Oklahoma State from 2001-10. Among the allegations of misconduct and potential NCAA violations are:

An Oklahoma State assistant coach, Joe DeForest, paid cash bonuses to players of up to $500 for performance. Boosters and assistant coaches funneled money to players and provided sham jobs for which players were paid. Tutors and school personnel completed school work for players and professors gave passing grades for little or no work. The program's drug policy was selectively enforced, allowing some players to go unpunished for repeated positive tests. Some members of a hostess program used by the football coaching staff had sex with recruits.

CORVALLIS — Oregon State running back Jovan Stevenson has been suspended for the first half of the Beavers' game at Utah on Saturday.

The Pac-12 Conference suspended Stevenson for a late hit on a defenseless opponent during Oregon State's 33-14 victory over Hawaii last Saturday. The foul occurred on a punt return late in the first half.

The Pac-12 says the discipline is a result of the league's weekly review of all unsportsmanlike conduct or player safety fouls.

DETROIT — Detroit star Ndamukong Suh has been fined $100,000 by the NFL for his illegal low block in the season-opening victory over the Minnesota Vikings last weekend.

NFL spokesman Randall Liu says vice president of football operations Merton Hanks notified the Detroit defensive tackle of the fine. Suh hit Vikings center John Sullivan during an interception return, drawing a penalty that negated a touchdown by Detroit linebacker DeAndre Levy.

Germany's Thomas Bach elected IOC president

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Longtime favorite Thomas Bach was elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday, keeping the powerful sports body in European hands.

Bach, a 59-year-old German lawyer, succeeds Jacques Rogge, the Belgian who is stepping down after 12 years.

Bach defeated five rival candidates in the secret balloting. He received 49 votes in the second round to secure a winning majority. Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico finished second with 29 votes.

A former Olympic fencing gold medalist who heads Germany's national Olympic committee, Bach becomes the ninth president in the 119-year history of the IOC. He is the eighth European to hold the presidency.